All Syrian groups, including women and Kurds, must be involved in the country's transition if Damascus wants European support, Germany's foreign minister said after a closely-watched first meeting with the new de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on Friday.

The top diplomat from Germany was in Syria on Friday to send what she called a clear signal that Europe and Syria can have a “political new beginning" after Islamist insurgents ousted Bashar Assad.

Germany’s foreign minister has warned Syria’s new leaders that lifting sanctions imposed on the country will depend on them not establishing a new Islamist government.

France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock arrived in Damascus on Friday for the first high-level visit by Western powers to the new Syrian administration that overthrew president Bashar al-Assad last month.

The visit by European ministers symbolizes a significant shift in international diplomacy following years of strained relations between Europe and Syria.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Germany and France said on Friday that the fighting in the Kurdish-held areas in northern Syria should end and the security interests of Kurds should be protected, following a visit of foreign ministers of both Western countries to Damascus.

Germany is ready to help Syria’s new rulers establish a unified security force that includes Kurdish-led forces, Berlin’s envoy to Damascus said.

Nor does Paris have any ethical lessons to offer Syria, given its horrific record in former colonies, from Algeria to Senegal - not to mention its support for military coups and brutal dictatorships, such as the Sisi regime in Egypt and warlord Khalifa Haftar in Libya.

The foreign ministers of Germany and France will meet Syria's de facto new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa during a trip to the country on Friday on behalf of the European Union, the German and French foreign ministries said.

Western nations have been cautious in their approach to Syria’s Islamist leaders, but are now debating whether to remove the group’s terrorist designation.

France and Germany’s top diplomats will travel to Syria on Friday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced, and meet with the leader of rebel group HTS.